Failing to implement Ayushman Bharat scheme, Union Health Minister slams Kejriwal

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not implementing the Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) which focuses on strengthening the capacities of health institutions across the continuum of care at all levels.

Mandaviya's remarks come in response to Kejriwal's recent directives regarding healthcare services in Delhi. 

In a pointed remark, Minister Mandaviya questioned Kejriwal's commitment to healthcare, suggesting that if the Chief Minister truly prioritized the welfare of Delhi's residents, he would have implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Mandaviya also criticized Kejriwal for the non-implementation of the Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which aims to bolster the capacity of healthcare institutions at all levels.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that under the PM-ABHIM scheme, Delhi was allocated a substantial sum of Rs 2406.77 crore for the establishment of Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, integrated public health labs, and critical care blocks. 

According to PTI, "Delhi government has been urged several times to sign the MoU to avail the available financial support under the scheme but it has not yet come forward. If you are really worried about the health of the people of Delhi just come and sign this MoU and take Rs 2,406.77 crore for the people of the city," Mandaviya said.

He said the Delhi government has not implemented the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) due to which around 30 lakh people of the national capital are deprived of the benefits of the scheme which provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

"A total of 6,54,041 families (approx. 30 lakhs individuals) of the UT of Delhi are eligible under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. Had the UT been part of AB PM-JAY, it would have received Rs 47 crore per year for scheme implementation," Mandaviya said.

Mandaviya pointed out the challenges faced by migrant populations in Delhi, who are unable to access healthcare services under AB PMJAY due to the absence of empanelled hospitals. He underscored the importance of Delhi government hospitals participating in the scheme to address the healthcare needs of beneficiaries from other states.

"Delhi hosts migrant population from across the country. They are generally the beneficiaries of AB PMJAY. To cater to the need of healthcare requirement of this migrant population, Govt. of India has empanelled 92 hospitals. However, government of Delhi hospitals are not empanelled under the scheme.

"Thus, these beneficiaries are facing challenges in availing healthcare services under the scheme. Further, the Delhi government hospitals would have also benefited from the claim amount reimbursed for providing services to the beneficiaries from other states," Mandaviya said.

The NHA has written to non-implementing states for at least on-boarding their public hospitals for the benefit of beneficiaries from other states, news agency PTI reported.

Moreover, Mandaviya criticized the lack of progress in augmenting hospital beds and medical college seats in Delhi over the past decade. He highlighted concerns regarding the rising tuberculosis cases and inadequate immunization rates in the city.

In response to Kejriwal's recent directives from custody regarding the availability of medicines and diagnostic tests in mohalla clinics and hospitals, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj asserted the Chief Minister's commitment to the well-being of Delhi residents.

"Even though he is in custody, he is worried about the health of the people of Delhi. He has received information that medicines and free diagnostic tests are not available at many mohalla clinics and hospitals. The chief minister is pained to know about it. He has issued a direction to me to address the issues. The health department will act immediately to address the issues," Bharadwaj had said.

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